Browse Forums Building A New House Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 141May 03, 2009 4:45 pm Hi Southies, The fill is our problem. We stopped after the slab was down and got the rear retaining walls put in as this would have been a nightmare later. I didn't realize (duh!) that retaining walls didn't come with fill so that all turned to disaster. The builder got the quote for me and once I met the guy doing the fill I didn't want a second quote. We are dealing and paying him directly. Within half an hour I had worked out what levels I wanted, where I needed to screen and how, what trees I needed, what to do with the other dead sides of the retaining wall, he bought along a mate to quote on paving, organized another mate to quote on my front retaining walls and the list goes on. The quote is not final as we've got him to do some other work as well (front excavation for driveway and retaining walls) and even the fill quantity is unknown. We are working on $4300 plus gst and then the extras. As the house is built and the access to the rear limited this bumped our quote substantially. Our slab sat significantly higher than the ground level - we have built on a cut and fill site. We would have saved ourselves a lot of money is we knew then what we knew now. I think we'd have done all the retaining walls and fill at the start long before we started. We'd still have had significant piering but all the excavating/retaining wall/ fill works would have been done at once which would have had to be cheaper. We didn't do this because one we were completely ignorant to what had to happen and secondly because we went through NBG we didn't have access to the builder who would have gone through all this with us at the beginning. Fi has moved in!! Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 142May 03, 2009 4:55 pm I forgot to mention too that our builder is very cool about us bringing our own tradesmen in to do stuff and even gives us contacts to do so. The guy doing our backyard fill does heaps of work for the builder which makes things a lot easier having him on site blocking up the front yard and co-ordinating access. Fi has moved in!! Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 144May 03, 2009 6:11 pm Brit, I have to say the house complete with retaining walls etc looks amazing...the house & the ways the windows turned out looks breathtakingly majestic...and your dark tiles....woooo-hooo really sophisticated...are you sure you aren't an interior designer ? Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 145May 07, 2009 12:55 pm I hate the words "retaining walls". The quote for our front ones comes in at $5300. Thats more than what I budgeted but bite the bullet and do it. Or don't..... They've scraped back today and broken the water pipe to the house. And in the way of the retaining wall they've unearthed the electricity cable, telstra cable, and the gas pipe (all unbroken thank goodness). The joys of building on a slope!! Everybody looks at you to say what do you want to do? Why can't they look at me and offer the best solution. As if I have any idea of what I'm meant to do! My balcony has merbau decking walls and that was finished today. Someone came and polished the baths and showers. The broken window is replaced. All door fittings went on. The only thing now is for the plasterer and painter to do their touchups. I'd better go read my list again to make sure. My back yard is now full and it looks huge now! I thought it was going to be the size of a phone box. It's amazing how much different it looks. It's now raining and all that clay they've dug out from the front yard and are moving to the backyard has turned into the slipperest surface you can ever stand on. Fi has moved in!! Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 146May 07, 2009 1:24 pm looks great brittany, merbau on the balcony sounds great too and all your budget-breaking landscaping!! look forward to more pics "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 147May 08, 2009 8:08 pm brittany My back yard is now full and it looks huge now! I thought it was going to be the size of a phone box. It's amazing how much different it looks. . Thats great news Brit! Looks like your cats are going to be very very happy Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 148May 08, 2009 8:22 pm Today was meant to be the day - the painters were coming back to fix up the plaster patches and cleaners were meant to be. Guess what - no-one at all to the house today. It's not that bad - I've been at work all day and this wet weather and our clay slopey driveway means we won't be going to the house this weekend. We got our final invoice yesterday and occupancy certificate and I now have a key. I just remembered there are no fly screens yet.. Buckingham builders work out where you want your towel racks and leave a piece of paper in each bathroom specifying height and placement. I said I trust their judgement - I'm not sure I should have. Also our ensuite didn't leave space for a good position for a double towel rack so we put it outside the walk in robe. In the guest ensuite the towel rack is now above the toilet roll holder. One thing on hindsight - I wish I'd put the electrical point in the cupboard so I could just leave the hair dryer in there plugged in. Read that somewhere on this forum and now really want that. On a brighter note - I'm so excited about the whole thing I had to go to Bunnings to walk around some plants to get a feel for them. Does anyone know a wholesale nursery out this side of the city (Strathmore/Coburg/Airport West)? We've been in debate about whether to build fences on top of our retaining walls as the ground level is now higher than the top of the fence of our neighbours behind us. I think we've both decided we prefer to screen rather than fence - with bamboo screening and plant in front of it. I'm not sure how bamboo will hold up with the wind. Fi has moved in!! Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 149May 08, 2009 8:36 pm It must be so exciting to be so close to moving in. Our weather has been so lovely I didn't realise Melb had rain this week. Looking forward to hearing more. I think you are pretty safe with moving in before us Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 150May 08, 2009 8:54 pm Hi Brittany, You must be itching now, I know we are. Wholesale nursery - Chris and Maries (Hello Hello) in Campbelfield Hume Highway. Probably best value although I haven't been there yet. Good luck PS, Went to the milk bar the other day. Saw the for sale board on your rental. At least you're not going to be kicked out before your house is ready. Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 151May 08, 2009 11:26 pm We haven't even given notice yet and they're after a thirty day notice!! Pain in the house we have to go through open houses whilst we're packing. Incentive to get a move on! Fi has moved in!! Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 152May 09, 2009 9:06 am It's so frustrating at this stage isn't it? So close, yet so far That is great your builder does towel rails etc for you, I have to get my own and then try and install them - scary Good Luck for the final week/s My karma ran over your dogma Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 153May 09, 2009 12:43 pm brittany Buckingham builders work out where you want your towel racks and leave a piece of paper in each bathroom specifying height and placement. I said I trust their judgement - I'm not sure I should have. Our builder actually discussed with us on where would be the best locations to install the towel rails, toilet roll holder etc at our first meeting & indicated it on the plans. Don't beat yourself over it though, as I would have prolly done the same thing i.e. tell them to do what they thought would best suit. I mean who would have thought they wouldn't think first Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 154May 12, 2009 2:46 pm Still no house for us!! The painters have gone awol! They did turn up Friday but as the work it outside and it started to rain that ended that. The bank are valuing in the next day or so - I've already submitted his final payment. We have some bar work and balcony (DH is at the house now with the builder trying to get the best solution) to happen but that can happen after handover. I went back over our original quotation last night to check everything. We'd been charged for an extra retaining wall, asset protection and a gattic drain that need to be credited. Also our original deposit of $2000. Fly screens are a week away. The inside of the house was a breeze compared to co-ordinating our backfill (finally finished), retaining walls (I can tell you who I would not recommend), concreting (who knew prices could vary so much), and fencing. Next time (not that there will be a next time) I need to find one person who does all. We are so keen and eager to start moving that we thought we might just try without the driveway. After five minutes there on Saturday in the rain (and an hour of cleaning shoes later that day) there is no way we are moving until the driveway is done. Fi has moved in!! Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 155May 12, 2009 11:05 pm Hey Brit What's the story with your retaining walls - (front or back?). Also, how did they miscalculate the $$ for your retaining wall, drain, $2k deposit etc? Our tiler made a start this late last week and seems to be moving along now. Builder reckons the tiles should be done by early next week. Still so much more to do. I think we're still a couple of months away (even though I'd originally thought late May ), but there you go. Gotta keep telling ourselves it'll all be worth it in the end........ Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 156May 13, 2009 8:26 pm It's not that they were miscalculated. They were all in the original contract and were not done. The front retaining wall wasn't needed for the build and was never constructed. We still have to put a retaining wall there but twice the length of that one so it would have served no purpose anyway. The asset protection I paid for but was in original contract as well. The gattic drain wasn't done and is being done by the concretor. No issue with getting these credited or the deposit. Back retaining wall completely filled and now I have a backyard miles above my neighbours and a great view. We've decided to fence all the way around. We were dithering with screening and trees and it was all getting too much work so there is a fence going up instead. Front retaining wall was a separate guy I was recommended and well I'll hold my judgement so far. The posts and steel arrive tomorrow so hopefully they start that tomorrow afternoon. Once the retaining walls are built I need the fencing guy in. Wood around the house - colorbond at the front on the side that was ripped down. Then the concretor. Then I can move!!!!!!!!!!!! This is all still going to take weeks. Today it seems the painters have been and done some patching. The cleaners have been back through. Fi has moved in!! Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 157May 13, 2009 10:28 pm Your house is looking gorgeous brittany, hopefully they clear up those last things for you quickly and you can finally move in! I think those last few weeks and days must feel sooo long. Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 158May 14, 2009 6:43 pm They are dragging on. Painters have been, cleaners have been. Posts arrived for retaining wall but got a phone call from the post digger late last night to say not happening for personal reasons which he explained. Bummer but his worries are far worse then mine. Gave notice on our rental today. Fi has moved in!! Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 159May 16, 2009 11:21 am Gave notice on your rental? woo hooooo you'll be in your new home in no time Brit, you are at the final stages....and everything is coming together slowly but surely....I am excited for you & Mel&Em...moreso cause we seem to be miles away from where you're at... When you have the time, could you please post some pics of your completed retaining wall....your note on having your area so much higher than your neighbours and having a great view is something I would love to see Re: My buckingham palace - hopefully the final week! 160May 21, 2009 4:41 pm Today was handover!! Although it is 4pm and there is still no water or gas!! The people doing the excavating (ours not builders) broke the water line a few weeks ago and the plumbers arrived late today to do appliances and did not leave enough time. Not really an issue except for that I want everything finished. The gas I take is just a five minute job. They are doing a temporary water hook up so we can use tonight. Today they installed out blanco appliances (they look good), the hot water system, spa motor (although not really sure if this went in or not), the electricians came back and hooked up oven and did a few odd things forgotten (downstairs phone line still not done we discovered), a guy came and sprayed and cleaned all the windows and doors and now they all slide good. We are planning on having dinner there although it may be a bit hard if the gas doesn't get connected and the heating going. Other things not completed flyscreens on doors (all windows have been fitted) balcony issues (agreed to after handover) bar fitout (still waiting) fridge point - we have a fridge water point and power point both about hip height. Bad move. We're having both moved to above the fridge. If they filter sits behind the fridge the fridge sticks out too far. We've decided to have them moved to above fridge and put something in front of for now Got a really massive bunch of flowers and a bottle johnnie walker black and baileys off the builder today as well. Front retaining walls all completed - started badly but ended well. Mel and Em they costs me 5190 in the end but I am paying $700 for more dirt, labour and dirt on the weekend to get them filled. Fences start tomorrow. Started taking some stuff today. Have a van on the weekend so doing that all weekend. Our insurance started today - had to do that on the run - completely forgot. Tru energy rang me monday to connect the gas and put in the meter - and I needed it immediately so didn't change retailer. They don't charge for meter and I didn't sign a contract so can change at any time. Looking at iinet for voip phone and internet but I am trying to find the closest exchange to where I am to find out if I can get adsl2 Fi has moved in!! Joe, it depends on your certifier but we are noticing the ones we deal with are really cracking down. So i would recommend you follow your approved landscaping plans to… 4 10976 Hi Simeon, Thank you for laying it down for us. Makes sense. Appreciate it very much. Have a nice day. Cheers 2 9015 A question. Im in Queensland and building a new home. We managed to reach practical completion 6 weeks ago but we haven't heard any date for handover yet. Who should we… 0 5808 |